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tv   Teen Kids News  NBC  September 9, 2012 11:30am-12:00pm EDT

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announcer: preparing today reduces the consequences of a disaster tomorrow. >> "teen kids news" starts right now, and we've got a lot to report. >> we'll meet a teen who is battling a difficult disease and the friend who wrote a song to help him. >> she turned her love of art into a million-dollar business. now she's telling us the secrets to her success. >> looking to adopt a dog? i've got the tips you need to know. >> to be or not to be... able to understand shakespeare -- that is the question. i'll have the answer.
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>> that and much more, so keep watching "teen kids news." >> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm livia. here's our top story for this week. >> we'll start with a report that combines amazing science, courage, friendship, and music. it's the story of a teen who's triumphing over a very difficult disorder. >> dystonia is a neurological movement disorder which causes uncontrollable pain and spasms. >> most of us have never heard of dystonia, but jake can describe it with painful, personal details. he's in high school now, and he's been living with the disease since fifth grade. >> slowly, it's got worse and
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worse to the point where i couldn't send him to school because it was too painful to write and to walk around the school. >> i was in a wheelchair. i had no quality of life. i was just sitting on the couc doing anything to try to cover up the pain. >> then, what can truly be described as a medical miracle -- recent research led to a breakthrough treatment called "dbs." >> dbs is deep brain stimulation. it's when they put a battery in your chest, a wire in your upper neck, and then two electrodes into your brain. it stimulates your brain to counteract the spasms. i have a battery in my chest. and there it is. >> while science has provided the treatment, jake has had a lot of emotional support as well. family, friends, and the entire community have joined him on the road to recovery, literally. jake's ride has raised almost a million dollars to search for a cure. >> jake's ride is a fundraiser we do every year, and we try to
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raise money for research in dystonia, and all the proceeds go to the bachmann-strauss dystonia and parkinson's foundation. >> jake's struggle and triumph have touched his friends deeply. anya was his teammate in a 5th-grade science competition. that's when jake's dystonia started to get really bad. >> he had to sit out, and, like, we would go out and do certain things. like, he just couldn't do them. he'd have to, like, sit aside and -- 'cause he was just in, like... >> too much pain. >> it was like right as it was starting to get bad. >> but no one -- no one really knew what it was. >> many of jake's classmates were supportive. they came to the hospital to cheer him on. they joined him on jake's ride to raise money. and anya composed a musical tribute. she calls it "mission possible." >> ♪ his life is a mission possible ♪ ♪ he made it in his world, he passed all his tests ♪ >> jake's mother had asked anya
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to write the song. even so, it was a big surprise. >> i was pretty, like, speechless. like, at first i was like, "wow, this is a pretty good song," and then i was like, "wow, it's for me." [ both chuckle ] >> anya's song was made into a music video and put on itunes to help raise money for dystonia research. >> i mean, i wanted to do something to help more than just going to the ride and biking. and we were just so close, and we still are so close, and it just, like -- i don't know. it just happened that i wrote the song and... yeah. ♪ he's got you, he's got me ♪ and all his friends ♪ and even though he struggles inside ♪ ♪ he made it out alive >> not everyone can write a song to help fight a disease, but you can find out more about dystonia and how to support
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kids like jake by clicking the link at teenkidsnews.com. >> don't go away.ews.com. we've got lots more still to come on "teen kids news." >> we'll be right back.
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>> if you've ever dreamed of starting your own business, pay close attention. we have some tips from a teen who really knows what she's talking about. veronique has the story. >> "teen kids news" first profiled maddie bradshaw shortly after she started selling her snap cap designs. >> how did you make these? >> now her company is earning more than $1.5 million a year, but for her, owning a business is about more than just getting rich. >> i get to incorporate my love for art, and i can also make a little bit of money at the same time. >> snap caps are necklaces and bracelets made with bottle caps that you can swap on and off with the help of a magnet. today, they're sold at more than 2,000 stores across the country,
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but they began as a simple decorating idea at maddie's school. >> then they all started off as locker magnets. >> this one's so cool! >> as a necklace. >> i love this one. >> because all my friends liked them so much, i decided to sell them, and it turns out a lot of other kids liked them, too. >> now maddie's offering her fans a new product -- her wisdom. she wrote and illustrated "maddie bradshaw's you can start a business, too!" >> i just basically wrote the book because i wanted to inspire other kids to start their own business. >> every business starts with a great idea, and most ideas come from our own interests and abilities. so, maddie says look in the mirror and ask yourself a few questions... how about baking? do you like that? then you might want to start a "cookie of the month" club. love animals? get paid for walking your neighbor's dog. computer geek? teach older people the basics. >> i've gotten a lot of e-mails from girls, all the time, that tell me that they want to start
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their own business, and some of them have even come up with ideas like bookmarks, and i got an e-mail the other day from a girl that said she started designing her own clothes. >> not sure what you want to do? maddie says it's okay to start small. >> you can always start off with something simple. like, i used to have garage sales, and i would sell coke at a garage sale, 'cause when you're at a garage sale, people get thirsty. >> so, it's no surprise that maddie used coke-bottle caps to start her business. once you've started building your empire, maddie's best advice is share the workload. >> for example, my mom is the c.e.o., and my sister is the vice president, and then we have employees who help make our stuff so that if your company becomes large-scale that you'll be able to split the responsibilities. >> and once you've got the business up and running, you may want to start thinking about "succession planning" -- that means training people to take over for you. >> this bracelet would be cute with your dress. >> perfect. >> one day, maddie hopes to hand the business over to her little
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sister, margot. maddie says she doesn't plan to make snap caps forever. her goal in the next five years is to go to college. >> every state has one, but most of us don't know why they look the way they do. here's kristen. >> louisiana holds a unique record. since the first europeans arrived, 10 flags have flown over the territory. that's more than any other u.s. state. in 1519, spanish explorers planted their flag. they were followed by the french in 1682. later on, napoleon's tricolor was displayed. then, in 1763, great britain gained a foothold in the region. in 1810, local colonists united against the british under a flag known as "the bonnie blue."
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finally, in 1812, louisiana achieved statehood. it looked like the stars and stripes were here to stay. but with the civil war, louisiana withdrew from the union. it declared itself a republic -- with its own flag, of course, but two months later, it joined the confederacy. louisianans would live under two different confederate flags before the war ended. finally in 1912, louisiana adopted the flag we see today. >> the louisiana flag, i love, because it's a story of unconditional love. what the settlers saw, according to louisiana legend, when they first arrived there were these brown pelicans. and if food was scarce, what the mother pelicans would do was peck at their breasts until they bled, and they would feed that to their young. so, on the state flag, you see a mother feeding three baby brown pelicans. >> eventually, louisiana adopted the brown pelican as its official state bird.
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by the way, louisiana also has an official state doughnut called a beignet. it's fried dough with powdered sugar on top. fortunately, the official state drink is milk. with flag facts, i'm kristen.
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>> adopting a dog is pretty easy. animal shelters are almost always on the lookout for good owners. but as hannah reports, there's a lot more to becoming a friend to man's best friend. >> so, you want to adopt a dog, but you don't exactly know how to properly care for one. here's a way to learn how. >> volunteering at an animal shelter is a wonderful thing to do. there's a lot of benefits that come with it. being a volunteer here at the animal shelter is very -- like, it's a good experience. >> you know, cleaning the kennels -- pretty basic, you know -- feeding them, taking the dogs for walks. and same deal with the cats, but they're slightly less maintenance. >> think of volunteering at a local shelter as on-the-job-training for when you
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become a pet owner. >> kids learn -- first and foremost, the basic needs of animals 'cause they will see what animals need on a regular basis, and they'll also see that the needs of animals are very similar to the needs that they themselves have. >> odds are, there's a shelter near you that offers teen-volunteer or internship programs. you just need to know where to look. >> the best thing to do is just go into google and type in either "humane education opportunities" or "volunteering opportunities for kids," "volunteering with animals for kids," and you'll get a whole bunch of different opportunities in your area. >> so, if you want to make volunteering at a shelter your next "pet" project, don't be shy. most shelters are happy to have responsible teens helping out. >> a mysterious manuscript has finally given up one of its mysteries -- its age. using carbon dating, scientists
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at the university of arizona found it's from early 15th century, but there's still a biggsecret to solve. the manuscript is written in a language no one understands. even professional code breakers and computer programs can't crack it. >> there's nothing worse than finding out your favorite band is in town after all the tickets are sold out. keep on top of things with a website called sonicliving.com. it allows you to see when and where the hottest concerts are taking place. on top of that, the site can scan the music you have on itunes, see what bands you like, and tell you when those groups are performing nearby. all you have to worry about is what t-shirt to wear to the show. for more information, you can visit sonicliving.com.
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[distant club music playing] [keys jingle] man: looking for these? you drive buzzed, it could be one very expensive ride. first, you got to make bail. then pay me to get your car back. your insurance premiums will go through the roof. and my legal fees just keep adding up. all told, it could end up costing you $10,000. announcer: nothing kills a buzz like getting pulled over for buzzed driving
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because buzzed driving is drunk driving. >> he's considered the greatest writer in the english language, but he was writing more than 400 years ago. and with all those "methinks" and "forsooths," reading shakespeare can be tough, but a unique program is helping to change that. carina has the story. >> together: i love you not. >> together: you made me believe so. >> together: i love you not. >> together: you made me believe so. >> shakespeare wrote that "all the world's a stage." >> action! >> both: i love you not. >> both: you made me believe so. >> no wonder these students are finding that performing one of his plays can be a lot more fun than just reading it. >> good, good. good. good. >> we're learning how to show, like, true emotion and how to act it out. >> i'm gonna say "3, 2, 1," and i'm gonna say, "action!" >> and this middle-school shakespeare program adds a modern twist -- video. >> and then, when you're done, just remember to keep acting until i say cut. >> to use old texts -- old
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english and historical texts -- and to make it modern, that's the fun part of it, and i think that's what the students are having fun with, too, is making it modern. >> 3, 2, 1. >> rumor has it that polonius was eavesdropping behind a curtain in gertrude's room. >> these girls are acting out a scene where they gossip about prince hamlet. he's the title character of one of shakespeare's most famous plays. >> one minute, he's crazy. one minute, he's in love, and one minute, he's cool or angry. >> hamlet is on an emotional roller coaster because he discovered that his uncle secretly killed hamlet's father, the king of denmark. the uncle then marries the dead king's queen, who is hamlet's mother. his uncle becomes the new king. got all that? >> i can't imagine anybody just teaching it sitting down and just having the kids just flat read it. it means so much more when the kids get to stand up and play with the words and read the lines. >> get thee to a nunnery,
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believe none of us. >> oh, what a noble mind is here... >> enter lincoln center theater. it sends teaching artists into schools to help breathe new life into a poet who's been dead for centuries. >> i think that the arts are absolutely critical for a student's education. it helps them with problem solving and solving problems creatively, imagining alternatives to situations. it helps them see things from other people's perspective. i think that it also allows them to reflect on their other subjects, whether english or history, in a different way. >> action. >> it certainly is a different way. william shakespeare would never have dreamed that "hamlet" the play would become "hamlet" the movie. >> so, maybe, how are you feeling after he leaves? well, how does that make you feel? >> here, they get to see their work, and they get to share their work with their families and their school community. >> the drink, the drink, i am poisoned. >> all: no! >> the king, the king is to
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blame. >> all: what? >> [ grunts ] oh, yet, defend me friends, i am but hurt. >> all: the king is dead. >> good night, sweet prince. >> as part of the lincoln center theater program, the students get to see a professional performance of the play, because as shakespeare wrote, you can never get "too much of a good thing." >> this report is brought to you by ralph lauren. >> i've been working my whole life for this. >> gymnast mckayla maroney is just one of the u.s. athletes going for gold at the summer olympics. as swimmer ryan lochte says, it's all about national pride. >> you're not just swimming for yourself, you're swimming for your whole entire country. >> besides hoping to set new records, team u.s.a. is helping
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to set new fashion trends. at the opening ceremonies, around the olympic village, and at the upcoming closing ceremonies, team u.s.a. is sporting outfits by ralph lauren. the vintage looks are a tribute to the 1940s. that was when the games were last held in london. then, as now, team u.s.a. represents america's best. >> i trained hard, i put hard hours in the gym. >> you can look like a winner, too. the entire collection -- including accessories -- is available at ralphlauren.com. and teamusa.com. for "teen kids news," i'm emily.
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[laughing] [tires screeching]
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>> in latin, "ante" means
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"before," "bellum" means "war." put them together, and you get a word that describes a unique time in american history -- the years before the civil war. as lauren reports, not everything from those days is "gone with the wind." >> the great antebellum homes of historic savannah, georgia, evoke memories of genteel southern life. yet, these stately structures came very close to being destroyed not once, but twice. the first time was during the civil war. after burning atlanta, general sherman began his famous march to the sea. the story goes that when he reached savannah, sherman was so taken by the city's beauty, he spared it. the second time these homes came close to destruction was during the 1900s. developers began tearing them down for parking lots and new buildings. but seven women banded together and formed the historic savannah foundation. not only did it save the homes, it helped create one of the
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largest national-landmark districts in the nation. savannah was georgia's first city. it was founded in 1733 by james oglethorpe for king george ii of england. oglethorpe was a visionary. he designed america's first planned city around 24 large, open squares with their giant oaks and hanging spanish moss, but he was also a realist. the general made the streets between the squares wide enough to accommodate an army. this way, soldiers could be moved quickly from one part of town to another. during the american revolution, free black soldiers from haiti fought here alongside the americans and french against the british. this monument honors revolutionary war hero general pulaski, who died during the battle of savannah. cotton made savannah wealthy. in fact, eli whitney developed his cotton gin just outside of town. until the civil war, savannah
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was a major port for the slave trade. today, river street is crowded with tourists and shoppers. you can ride the trolley... or book a seat on an old-fashioned river boat. the pirates' house has been a meeting place for seafarers since the mid-1700s. the founder of the girl scouts, juliette gordon low, was born here. because of a yellow fever epidemic in the early 1800s, many homes were built with unusual outer stairs. people believed that by raising the first floor, they'd be breathing cleaner, safer air. as we now know, yellow fever isn't carried by bad air, but by mosquitoes. even the cemetery is picturesque in an eerie way. there are tombstones dating back to colonial times. this was also a popular place to hold duels. many of the losers are buried here. in the late 1800s, fire destroyed the cathedral of st. john the baptist.
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only the exterior walls and twin spires survived, but the church was quickly restored to breathtaking splendor. savannah's home to the nation's oldest black baptist congregation, as well as one of the oldest jewish congregations. the organist at this church wrote a song for thanksgiving. it was an instant hit, and we still sing it today, but at christmastime. the song is "jingle bells"... though it's hard to imagine sleighs dashing through the snow in steamy savannah. for "teen kids news," i'm lauren. >> we'll see you next time on "teen kids news." >> thanks for watching. have a great week.
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>> here's a shout-out to pr newswire for including "teen kids news" on their big screen in times square, new york city. >> on behalf of everyone here at "teen kids news," we want to give a special thanks to all of our military overseas. [ mission: impossible theme plays ] target acquired. check. check. check. check. target in the pool.
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[ squeaks ] no! there's my angel. make unsupervised pool access an impossible mission. hi, i'm ben affleck, and many actors have played the part of u.s. servicemen in the movies, but for veterans like james crosby their service and their sacrifice are real. and too often when they come home, their struggle continues. for over sixty years, paralyzed veterans of america has been fighting to help our injured veterans get the benefits they need, and have earned. paralyzed veterans of america was there for me when i came home. join me in supporting our paralyzed veterans. visit p-v-a dot org. please sir, i want some more. more? well he did say please... please and thank you.

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